WHILE a night away at a hotel may seem like the perfect opportunity to unwind, holidaymakers still need to make sure they're looking after their belongings.
One travel security expert has revealed the real reason why Brits should use the safe inside their hotel room.
Carolyn Pearson is the CEO and Founder of Maiden Voyage – a business dedicated to making travel safer.
Maiden Voyage, which launched 16 years ago, educates businesses and industry professionals on safety and security in the travel sector.
In addition to providing training to hotel employers and their employees, Carolyn also shares safety tips, tricks, hacks, and advice with holidaymakers.
And there's one very specific reason Brit holidaymakers should be using the safe in their hotel room.
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Carolyn told Sun Online Travel: "I would always put my valuables in the safe."
This is because housekeepers often wedge doors open when they're cleaning rooms to accommodate their large trolleys.
If the room is being cleaned mid-stay, valuables like laptops and bottles of perfume on vanity tables can be spotted through the open door as the cleaner is in the room.
Carolyn added: "This person can tell housekeeping that they've forgotten something in your room, and very easily pick up any valuables left on the desk."
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Instead of running this risk, Carolyn recommended keeping all important items in the hotel safe.
There are other ways to stay safe in your hotel room too.
Carolyn recently urged holidaymakers to avoid announcing their room number at the check-in desk.
She said: "Once they've read out the room number, reception staff will give guests directions to their room."
Despite seeming helpful, sharing this information in a hotel foyer could be dangerous.
Ask for your room number to be written down instead, so other guests won't know where you're staying.
Carolyn always makes sure to travel with a £1 doorstop too, to give her hotel room some extra security at night.
She said: "I always travel with a door jammer because there are some hotels that I really like, but they don't have a second lock."
Hotel cleaner Terence Harris has revealed how he uses a towel and a hair bobble to create a makeshift door lock.
In the video, he tied the towel around the clip at the top of the door and secured it in place using the hair tie.
A former flight attendant also explained why guests should use the hotel chain on their door when they're sleeping, showering, and dressing.
In a post on Mumsnet, she wrote: "It is not uncommon for hotels to accidentally double-book your room.
"I have woken up many times to someone opening my door with an electronic key that was programmed for my room.
"I learned to dress and sleep with the chain on the door at all times."
Meanwhile, a flight attendant recently shared her top safety hacks for travellers to prevent hotel break-ins.
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